Solid soaps kept together with liquid soap by a connecting and keeping unit

ABSTRACT

By use of a connecting unit, solid soap is easily kept and used by connecting, in one line, several kinds of solid soap, each different in usage. The unit is constructed by inserting portions of the connecting unit through several bars of solid soap. As a result, a bar of desired soap can be selected from a consecutive connection of several bars of solid soap in a user&#39;s bathroom since each bar of soap is supported by the connecting unit. In addition, the connecting unit is provided with receptacles for holding liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, or the like.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of Applicant's Ser. No. 10/069,762 filed in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on 28 Feb. 2002, which is a U.S. national phase application based upon PCT/KR00/00993 filed on 1 Sep. 2000.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from an application for SOLID SOAP WITH CONNECTING AND KEEPING MEANS earlier filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on 1 Sep. 1999 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 1999-18489.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a connecting and keeping unit for solid soap which is capable of easily interconnecting several kinds of solid soap which are mutually different in their usage. More particularly, the invention relates to a connecting and keeping unit in which liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, and the like can be kept with the solid soap, and loss of the solid soap can be prevented.

BACKGROUND ART

In conventional use of solid soap, the soap is generally not dried, and this is especially true of the bottom part of the soap since the wet solid soap is kept inside a soap case. Therefore, there is a problem in that the solid soap partially crumbles and is lost since the soap absorbs moisture as it is coming into contact with the soap case. Thus, the surface of the soap crumbles. Furthermore, there is an inconvenience in keeping and managing several kinds of solid soap, as well as liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, or the like.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a connecting and keeping unit for solid soap that substantially obviates one or more of the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide solid soap with a connecting and keeping unit, by means of which it is easy to keep the solid soap, and which selectively contains several kinds of solid soap, while maintaining the solid soap in dry state. In addition, the soap is kept together with liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, or the like for use in a bathroom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention which is mounted on a pedestal;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention which is mounted on a pedestal; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the previous embodiments of the present invention mounted on a stand;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the top connector of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the top connector of FIG. 3.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In accordance with the present invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the first and second embodiments, respectively, of the invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing the third and fourth embodiments, respectively, of the invention, while FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the embodiments of the invention, and FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the top connectors of FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 1 thru 4, a support body 40 for supporting soap 10 is partially buried inside soap 10, and both end parts of the support body 40 are exposed outside the soap 10, and are provided as a connecting unit 30 for connecting the soap 10 thereto.

Each support body 40 has at least one receptacle 41 in which liquid soap inserted through a top portion of the support body 40 is kept.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the connecting unit 30, one end of each support body 40 has an externally threaded insertion shaft 31 at an end part thereof, and another end of each support body 40 has an internally threaded connector 32 at an end part thereof. As a result, adjacent sections of the connecting unit 30 can be connected together by joining elements 31 and 32, and several cakes of soap 10 can be connected with one another consecutively (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4).

Further referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the embodiment of FIG. 1 has a ring-type loop 50 at the top thereof for hanging the interconnected soaps 10 on a hook (not shown), while the embodiment of FIG. 3 has a Y-shaped loop 52 for hanging the interconnected soaps 10 on a hook (not shown). The loop 50 and loop 52 are mounted on a cap 50 a and 52 a, respectively, the caps 50 a and 52 a being internally threaded so as to be fixed onto the externally threaded top 31 of connecting unit 30. The bottom of connecting unit 30 is closed by screwing an internally threaded cap 51 onto the externally threaded bottom of connecting unit 30.

As an alternative to hanging the connecting unit 31 on a hook, in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 4, the connecting unit 30 is mounted on a pedestal 33 by screwing an internally threaded bottom connector 32 onto an externally threaded portion 31 of the pedestal 33. In this embodiment, the top of the connecting unit 30 is closed by screwing an internally threaded cap 51 onto the externally threaded top portion 31 of the connecting unit 30.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 4, the topmost soap body 10 is replaced by a large receptacle 42 for holding liquid soap, cleanser, perfume, or the like. The receptacle 42 is filled by pouring the liquid into the open top of the connecting unit 30, and the open top is then closed by screwing the internally threaded cap 51 onto the externally threaded top 31 of the connecting unit 30.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, in accordance with the present invention, the soap bodies 10 are supported by the connecting unit 30 which passes through, and emerges from both ends of, soap 10. Accordingly, a user can selectively use desired soap chosen from a consecutive connection of several bars of solid soap. There is also a convenience in that a cake of solid soap can be mounted or displayed together with perfume or cleanser, or other necessities, for use in a bathroom as a result of the provision of receptacles 41 formed on the connecting unit 30. In addition, crumbling and loss of the soap 10 can be prevented by use of the hooks 50 or 52, or by placing the connecting unit 30 on a pedestal 33.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. A connecting unit for interconnecting a plurality of bars of soap and holding liquid, said unit comprising: a plurality of support bodies, at least one support body being inserted through a respective bar of soap for supporting said respective bar of soap; connecting means on each support body for connecting said each support body to at least one adjacent support body; and receptacle means provided on at least one of said support bodies for holding a liquid.
 2. The unit of claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises one of an externally threaded portion and an internally threaded portion provided on an end of said each support body.
 3. The unit of claim 1, wherein said receptacle means comprises a hollow portion of said at least one of said support bodies, said hollow portion being inserted through one of said bars of soap.
 4. The unit of claim 1, further comprising hanging means disposed on a top portion of said unit for hanging said unit on a hook.
 5. The unit of claim 4, wherein said hanging means comprises one of a ring-type loop and a Y-shaped loop.
 6. The unit of claim 4, wherein said hanging means comprises a cap which is connectable to said top portion of said unit, and a loop mounted on a top of said cap.
 7. The unit of claim 6, wherein said loop comprises one of a ring-type loop and a Y-shaped loop.
 8. The unit of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said support bodies comprises a hollow tube connected to said receptacle means for conveying the liquid to said receptacle means.
 9. The unit of claim 1, further comprising a pedestal and mounting means provided on a lowermost support body for mounting said lowermost support body on said pedestal.
 10. A connecting unit for interconnecting a plurality of objects, said unit comprising: a plurality of support bodies, at least one support body being inserted through a respective object for supporting said respective object; connecting means on each support body for connecting said each support body to at least one adjacent support body; a pedestal; and mounting means provided on a lowermost support body for mounting said lowermost support body on said pedestal.
 11. The unit of claim 10, wherein said connecting means comprises one of an externally threaded portion and an internally threaded portion provided on an end of said each support body.
 12. The unit of claim 10, wherein said pedestal includes a threaded portion extending upward, and said mounting means comprises a threaded part of said lowermost support body for connecting to said threaded portion of said pedestal.
 13. The unit of claim 12, wherein said threaded portion of said pedestal comprises one of an internally threaded portion and an externally threaded portion.
 14. The unit of claim 12, wherein said threaded part of said lowermost support body comprises one of an internally threaded part and an externally threaded part.
 15. The unit of claim 10, further comprising receptacle means provided on at least one of said support bodies for holding a liquid.
 16. The unit of claim 15, wherein said receptacle means comprises a hollow portion of said at least one of said support bodies, said hollow portion being inserted through one of said objects. 